biography

(818) 710-9742

1961: Born, London, England
1962 to 1989: Las Vegas, Nevada
1989 to 1991: Vagabond Artist
1991 to present: Los Angeles, California

My story as an artist, filmmaker, and storyteller began in the early 80s, when, after graduating from Brooks Institute of Photography, I opened my first studio in Las Vegas, Nevada—a mod little space constructed from the remains of a 3000-square foot citrus warehouse. It was there my artistic, technical, and narrative roots formed as I worked non-stop producing, photographing, and directing projects ranging from nightlife to leisure, portraiture to lifestyle, wild animals to intricate special effects, entertainment to advertising.

I was in my mid-twenties, young, evolving, and thirsty for experience. A fresh set of eyes in a city full of energy as my business grew faster than imaginable. Not ready for the degree of success that came my way, I lived fast and fell hard. It was a decade where I grew up through experiences too numerous to share in this biography. Bright and dark memories that, to this day, are foundational subtext to the perspectives grounding the value I place on humanity; respect for our individual life experience; and the importance of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual integrity.

In my thirties, as the Las Vegas chapter hit its pinnacle; I faced a creative, spiritual, and emotional Do-or-Die. Driven by a hunger for growth and culture, and amidst the weight of relationship, career, and family disfunction, I had reached a professional and personal crossroads. So, I decided to close my Las Vegas shop (and redirect my life) to travel the cities of Europe. An uncharted time of exchanging security, familiarity, and predictability to follow a vagabond lifestyle. A living out of a backpack and rolling suitcase journey where, as I navigated diverse languages, cityscapes, and customs, I experienced risk, history, culture, and people at a most profound level. A week-by-week schedule of country-connecting train rides and hostel stays where I survived on cash pulled out of a hidden money belt. Life-change to its fullest, as each day, and with my entire livelihood wrapped around my waist, I peeked over the edge of financial ruin. A character and spirit-forming trek that, in the end, left me homeless and stripped to the most humbled reflections of myself. Yet, under it all, a great blessing was gifted me—the birth of my cultural outlook and spiritual self, as well as the spark to my curiosity regarding the world around me.

Ultimately, I settled in Los Angeles—the home to my current chapter and base camp for my desire to share whatever I can to open windows to better the way we see, hear, and treat one another, and hopefully, even ourselves.

I am a firm believer in less-is-more, and although I work in the complexity of photo-narrative projects, writing, speaking, filmmaking, mixed media, artworks, commissions, and podcasting, I stand true to a plain and modest purpose: To craft thoughtful works and outreach that stimulate deep consideration of what might be in the hearts and minds of others, the worth of what we each have to offer, just how valuable you are, and awareness of how far any one persons individual impact truly reaches.

When I am not making photographs, producing films, writing, recording, on assignment, or working on outreach, you’ll most likely find me interviewing strangers, sharing what I can to make others laugh (or express a heartfelt tear) with life found stories, or doing my most favorite thing of all, spending time with my wife, daughter, and two dysfunctional dogs.

COMPANIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INSTITUTIONS I’VE WORKED WITH
Nikon, Verizon, Publicis, Panasonic, PepsiCo, BBDO, Nestlé, Toyota, Ohio State University, Disney, Brigham Young University (BYU), Botox, Johnson & Johnson, Ogilvy, Abbott Laboratories, Art Center School of Design, 20th Century Fox, Faith Counts, California State University Northridge (CSUN), Sony Pictures, Suave, Allergan, The Freedmen’s Bureau, CBS/KROQ Radio, Brooks Institute of Photography, Los Angeles Interfaith Council, United States Department of Defense, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Hachette Filipacchi Media, United Airlines, Cygnus Business Media, Cypress College, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, PBS, Corbis, Platt Institute, Playstation, Disney Records, Petersen’s Publishing, Santa Monica College, California Department of Health Services, Getty, Hill & Knowlton, Converse, Subway, Otis Parson School of Design, Southern California Edison, FDA, Heidelberg, Abbott, Florida Department of Health Services, JWT, E-Verify, 24 Hour Fitness, San Diego Gas and Electric (SDGE), Unisource, AltaMed, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Hilton, Xerox, FairChance, Nevada Division of Tourism, United Health Care, Hertz, Walmart, Bally’s, Cisco, FIAA, Lockheed Martin, Transamerica, UPS, Energy Star, The Richards Group, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble, FCB, Gillette, Dunlop, RPA, Home Depot, Wells Fargo, Lowe+Partners, Paramount Studios, United States Tennis Association, McCann Worldgroup, AT&T